§ 4. Mr. LUNNasked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware that Oulton Hall, near Leeds, is the only neurological hospital in Yorkshire, Lancashire, Derbyshire and Cheshire; that in May last it was full of patients; that some of them have been sent to Saltash, in the South of England, and hundreds of miles from their homes, making it impossible for them to sec their relations once a year; that Oulton Hall is most economically run, as the rent is only £2 a year for this magnificent hall and gardens; that there is considerable feeling amongst ex-service men at the proposal to close it shortly; and will he reconsider this decision in the interests of economy and efficiency of treatment and suitability of situation?
§ Major TRYONThe decline in the number of neurological cases, both in those districts and throughout the country as a whole, renders it impracticable to make separate hospital provision for particular localities. The number of patients at Oulton Hall has declined from May to the present date from 111 to 84. As in all Ministry hospitals the management is. as the hon. Member recognises, efficient and economical but it is a small institution and I find that as a matter of fact, the cost per patient there, even with the very low rental, is greater than at similar institutions which accommodate a larger number of patients. No patients have been transferred from. Oulton Hall to Saltash during the present year although three have been transferred to Harrowby Camp. Grantham—a similar institution to Saltash and intended for patients who require a different and more prolonged type of treatment than that given at Oulton Hall. I can assure the hon. Member that the patients leaving Oulton Hall will not suffer as regards efficiency of treatment, and after again carefully reviewing the whole position I regret that I can find no ground for departing from the decision announced in my reply to the question put to me by the hon. Member on Thursday of last week.
§ Mr. LUNNIn view of the unsatisfactory explanation I beg to give notice that I shall raise this matter on the Adjournment on the first opportunity.
10. The hon. Member also asked how many patients at Saltash, in Cornwall, and other neurological hospitals, other than Oulton Hall, near Leeds, have their homes in Yorkshire and Lancashire?
§ Major TRYONI regret that this information is not available.
§ Mr. LUNNWill it be possible for the right hon. Gentleman to give me that information in a day or two?
§ Major TRYONI should be happy to give the information to the hon. Member if possible, but our patients are put in different hospitals according to the nature of their illness and the treatment required, and they are not classified in any way on a county basis.
§ Mr. LUNNIt will be admitted that in every hospital they have the addresses of the patients. It should not be difficult to give this information at very short notice. I ask that it should be given in view of the fact that I have given notice of my intention to raise the matter.
§ Major TRYONI was able to give my hon. Friend information for one hospital, but the information he now requires would involve a very large search through a large number of hospitals. It is not on the county basis that the patients are classified. However, I will see what I can do.
Viscountess ASTORIs it not a fact that the late Minister visited Saltash, and thought it was a very good place?